HMS GLORIOUS

HMS Glorious 1916 - 1940

Nickname : Laborious

Pennant Number : 77

Glorious was one of three Courageous class battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy, the other two being HMS Courageous and HMS Furious.

Launched in Belfast on 20th April 1916 with commissioning 9 months later in January 1917.

Designed to support the Baltic project, a ambitious plan, to precede a swift defeat of the enemy, by means of a huge invasion of Northern Germany with over 600 vessels, however the plan never materialised.

Participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bright (17th November 1917 ) along side HMS Repulse and HMS Courageous, to prevent the German minesweepers clearing paths through the British minefields.

After the war Glorious was rebuilt as a aircraft carrier, as part of the changes bought after the signing of the 1922 Washington navel treaty, with work commencing in Rosyth, Scotland and later at Devonport, Plymouth.

HMS Glorious recorded speeds of 29.47 knots (33.91mph) in post conversion sea trials.
During her conversion her 15 inch turrets were stored and used for HMS Vanguard, built in 1944.

Assigned to the Mediterranean fleet in 1930 where she remained until 1939.A tragic accident in heavy fog (1st April 1931) which resulted in a collision with a civilian ship which killed 25 people, forcing Glorious to Malta for repairs.

When World War broke out in Glorious was sent via the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean to search to join Force J in the hunt for German destroyers, which was unsuccessful.
Recalled to join the home fleet in 1940 and the cold waters off the coast of Norway to provide air cover for landing forces with HMS Ark Royal .

On the 8th June 1940 German destroyers, Schainhorst and Gnelsenau, were hunting in the Norwegian sea looking for convoys as part of Operation Juno. On route to Scapa Flow, Glorious was spotted on the horizon just before 16:00hrs. Her escorting destroyers, HMS Acasta and HMS Ardent spotted the German ships and were sent to investigate.

The German ships opened fire on Ardent, who was struck multiple times by Schainhorst and was sunk, with the loss of 162 crew.

Now Glorious was in the line of fire, and a fierce battle begins between the ships, with the German ships attacks, causing devastating damage to her runway and large fires in her hangers, no aircraft could take off to defend the ship.
Glorious suffers a explosion in the central engine room, causing loss of speed and she begins to list to starboard, allowing a final German attack at the close range of 16,000 feet.

At 18:10 HMS Glorious sinks with the loss of 1,027 of her crew.

Despite multiple strikes of the German ships, HMS Acasta is also sunk soon after with the loss of 152 crew.

A total loss of 1,531 men loss their lives on the three ships.

Photo credit for badge : R Payling